1. Field
This invention relates to can crushers of the type used for crushing small cylindrical cans such as those used for soft drinks, beer and the like.
2. State of the Art
Various types of can crushers have been heretofore developed. Roller-type crushers are typical of can crushers wherein the crushing action is random, i.e., the can enters between roller at any of various attitudes.
A plate-type crusher which crushes cans in random fashion is illustrated in German Pat. No. 1,244,682. Cans enter between slanted crusher jaws which are spaced further apart at the top than at the bottom so that a can which is partially crushed between the top portion of the jaws drops to the low section of the jaws wherein the cans are further crushed to a smaller size. The small cam operation of the crushing jaws provides a very short throw whereby the crushing of a single can requires several back and forth motions of the jaws.
A can crusher with parallel plates is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 2,773,536. The crushing plates are actuated toward one another by threaded drive rods. To drive the crusher jaws towards one another the threaded rods rotate in one direction while the opening of the jaws then requires the rotation of the threaded rods to be reversed.